Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA) Will Have Their Annual Conference on October 1, 2011 in Des Plaines, Illinois

Here is a heads up on another Fall genealogical conference coming local to our area. The Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA) will be having their annual conference on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Des Plaines, Illinois.

A separate optional activity is planned for Friday, September 30, 2011. This activity will be a guided bus tour of the old areas of Polish immigration that occurred in Chicago, IL.

The bus tour on Friday, September 30th will leave from the conference hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, 2930 S. River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018, conveniently located near O’Hare airport. After returning to the hotel there will be time to relax and have dinner. Afterwards you will have the opportunity to meet with other researchers and share advice, stories, tips and comradery.

Presentations are scheduled for Saturday, October 1st at the hotel and this year the society is taking a different lecture approach. Two presenters, Matthew Bielawa and Jonathan Shea are recognized experts in the area of Polish genealogical research. They will lecture alternately and in tandem, where appropriate, eliminating the issue of wanting to hear both speakers and having to choose between them.

The first lecture “Starting From Home” will be a guide to Polish-American research and its many opportunities that are essential to the all important “place of origin” question. Also addressed will be name variations and misspellings. Subsequent lectures will cover the “3-Ring Circus” of the partitions, finding and understanding vital records across Poland, maps and gazetteers and locating and using records in Polish Archives.

While you attend a conference to nourish your mind, you will also need a break to satisfy your body, so lunch will be provided. And no PGSA conference lunch would be complete without an infusion of culture by colorful and quick-stepping Polish dancers.

Until all of the details are worked out on the tour and the unique presentation details are completed, as well as the registration information and cost, your best bet is to just keep visiting the web site of the PGSA. You can visit the society website for updates on this annual conference as they are finalized at:

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